Maximus

July 13, 2012

Something for the Weekend

In a somewhat surprising move, the London Zoo has proposed, possibly slightly tongue in cheek, that 33 St Mary Axe, known to London’s cabbies and therefore all the world, as The Gherkin – that it should be adapted to the latest penguin specifications.
London Zoo’s spokesperson notes: “We know it’s audacious, but let’s be honest – penguins are a lot more interesting than gherkins!”

Apart from Hyenas and humans, animals are not generally known for having a sense of humour. Lions, for instance, are renown for not being able to see the joke, and have an inflated sense of their own importance in the world. See video below. But for a group of defenseless creatures like the humble penguin (the penguins above are the Humboldt penguin, not humble…), the London Zoo has a long tradition of taking the piss out of them. Recently they installed a diving board for the penguins – apparently they love it. As does their audience.

It’s all part of the Olympic support visible in all parts of the community. Efforts by the Zoo to get the penguins to enter into the spirit with water polo and synchronised swimming have not, it appears, been successful. Yet.

Many years ago, of course, the Zoo installed the world’s most famous penguin pool, designed by famous architect Berthold Lubetkin, and famous engineer Ove Arup – a total work of art for us humans, it seems that we now feel sorry for the penguins and have removed them from the bewildering double spiral, and given them a sandy beach instead.

DeepRed

60 MPa

If penguins start synchronised swimming I will take it as the first sign of the apocalypse

Seamonkey Madness

16 - 07 - 12

You forgot kookaburras. =)

“Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he
Laugh, Kookaburra! Laugh, Kookaburra!
Gay your life must be.

Maximus

16 - 07 - 12

Well, to be any kind of Australian, you have to have a fairly good sense of humour… though it must be said, watching Crocodile Dundee 2 again last night, after many years absence – hilarious! Love that dry sense of irony. Example: aboriginal man eating a bat, when asked how it was, replies:
“Needs garlic.”